back to article The Great British anti-5G fruitcake Bakeoff: Group hugs, no guns, and David Icke

This is one of those that should fall under the title of unlikely things to awaken Brits' patriotic spirit: a gaggle of anti-5G protestors in the UK's capital. Yes, the people who gathered in London, against expert medical advice, this past weekend, are idiots. You don't have to remind us of that. They earnestly believe the …

  1. Chris G

    Disgusted of Muchwangling in the marsh

    I would like to complain at the taking down of David Icke's YouTube channel, for some years it has been a primary source of entertainment and laughter for me. My wife thinks he is a very nice man and has knitted reptile resistant scarves for him on many occasions.

    Oh and at least I know which lizards to avoid.

  2. John Sturdy
    WTF?

    How much will it help?

    I suspect that fruitcakes like these will interpret the bans as confirmation that there is a "truth" that the elites are suppressing.

    However, it might reduce the number of borderliners added to their cause.

    1. Len
      Holmes

      Re: How much will it help?

      Yep, it prevents contagion. Fruitcakes will remain fruitcakes and after a take down from mass platforms the most extreme types will probably just gather on Gab, Stormfront or LBC instead. They don't just find a new hobby or new group of people to hate.

      It does, however, prevent everyday people from being radicalised. And, unfortunately, I think everyone knows one or two people who used to be quite normal and are now radicalised beyond all comprehension. My perfectly normal mid-fifties Home Counties accountant has become a borderline neo nazi around the Brexit referendum and is now spreading (and believing!) dubious tropes from Alternative fur Deutschland. And he's Jewish himself...

      A friend of mine is very intelligent, be it a bit manic. She is the type you can mention programming in Python or monetary policy instruments to at lunch time and the following day she's pulled an all-nighter, devoured the three key text books on the subject and is teaching me stuff. She has now stumbled upon some dubious stuff about 5G on Facebook and I sincerely hope she is not going down the rabbit hole on this one.

      I think that in a time where lies spread faster than ever (“Falsehood flies, and truth comes limping after it.”) and can have such devastating impact it sensible to try and keep ideas in the fringe that belong in the fringe.

    2. Pascal Monett Silver badge

      That is the unfortunate reality. When you believe a conspiracy, anything that is done against your movement is proof that you're right.

      It takes an intelligent mind to question one's beliefs, and it takes a truly intelligent mind to do so despite being absolutely convinced that you are right.

      Einstein and Hawking were truly intelligent minds who both ended up admitting they were wrong on some point. Anti-5Gers are no Einsteins.

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Youtube bans him because he was countering official WHO advice

        The US president pulls out of the WHO claiming it is Chinese propaganda

        You couldn't really do more to promote the conspiracy

        1. Irongut

          It really is past time the various online platforms all followed their COVID policies and banned Trump for misinformation. To hell with the fact that he's POTUS. To hell with the fact that he'll claim it's their liberalist agenda. Remove his dangerous, life threatening "sarcasm" and let him sue you for it afterwards.

          1. MachDiamond Silver badge

            "Remove his dangerous, life threatening "sarcasm" and let him sue you for it afterwards."

            And take away the best proof that all politicians are whacked out on the drugs we aren't allowed to buy ourselves?

            I keep hoping that US voters start feeling a bit of shame over the crops of presidential candidates that have floated to the top over the last few decades. If the rest of the world is looking down and shaky their heads, maybe it will get noticed. The uncontrollable laughter might help too.

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          "The US president pulls out of the WHO claiming it is Chinese propaganda"

          Careful around this - it's not so much conspiracy/Trump as based on China's actual behavior and the direction of the WHO over the last ~4 years.

          The WHO tweeted that human-to-human transmission had not been observed on the 14th of January (https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1217043229427761152), didn't share any information with Taiwan, ignored information provided by Taiwan about how serious the situation was in China and may have also delayed initial reports of the pandemic in China by 1-2 weeks.

          Whether you view this as Chinese propaganda or some other form of political pressure to save face, but the current head of the WHO was backed by China and other nations that have received significant financial support from China (https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/apr/10/world-health-organization-who-v-coronavirus-why-it-cant-handle-pandemic).

          And then there is the date that WHO declared a global pandemic - 11th of March. Was that too late?

          That's not to say Trump isn't trying to use the WHO as a scapegoat for his own actions, but the WHO likely needs improved governance as well if they are afraid of offending a key member more than providing reliable health information and acting in the best interest of the whole.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Misleading

            You: "The WHO tweeted that human-to-human transmission had not been observed on the 14th of January"

            The actual tweet is different in two ways (my caps):

            "Preliminary investigations CONDUCTED BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES have found NO CLEAR EVIDENCE of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in #Wuhan, #China"

            "And then there is the date that WHO declared a global pandemic - 11th of March. "

            Pandemic vs Epidemic. Are you telling me a country won't respond to an epidemic, and waits until its a pandemic. Because I cancelled my travel plans back Mid Jan when WHO reports first came out.

            Look, I get it, 70k Americans dead, likely 140k. Prediction is quarter to half a million dead Americans. Blame needs to be directed away from Trump. Brietbart is doing its best, Fox News is parroting its lies. WHO is to blame! They say. It's all a conspiracy between WHO and China and deep state Dems governors and and and doctors and Bill Gates and .... oh fuck off!

            Meanwhile thousands die each day, as the rest of the world followed WHO advice, closed down for 40 days, and now are clear of infection.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Misleading

              "The actual tweet is different in two ways (my caps):"

              You're interpretation ignores the circumstances around the tweet.. The tweet was in response to a WHO official giving a lecture in Switzerland saying that there was evidence of human-to-human transmission based on information based to western countries from doctors in Taiwan. The tweet was aimed at this. i.e it shows how information within WHO was being ignored if the Chinese government didn't approve.

              This is neither conspiracy nor one of Trumps many excuses (his excuses cover almost every view of an issue anyway as he rambles away so that's a poor yardstick) - it's a global organisation failing to operate effectively or for the benefit of all of its membership. The WHO has repeatedly made poor decisions under the current leadership, many of which have been heavily influenced by China or with Chinas support. If we are going to let a global health organisation be run for one countries benefit, while largely being financed by western countries who are being impacted by the poor decision making, something has to be done. Or do we have to wait until those poor decisions result in western countries being hamstrung by the virus while it kills millions in poorer countries that voted for the current WHO leadership?

            2. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Misleading

              "Preliminary investigations CONDUCTED BY THE CHINESE AUTHORITIES have found NO CLEAR EVIDENCE of human-to-human transmission of the novel #coronavirus (2019-nCoV) identified in #Wuhan, #China"

              Maybe they should have included "have silenced doctors and reporters to avoid any embarrassment and minimise economic harm while preventing WHO monitoring from providing any independent verification #ItsSARSalloveragain #TrustUs"

              "Meanwhile thousands die each day, as the rest of the world followed WHO advice, closed down for 40 days, and now are clear of infection."

              You're optimistic - Singapore followed WHO advice and had a second wave, large parts of the world haven't fully emerged from the first wave to even know what the second wave may look like yet. All the statistics are focussing on CORVID-19 deaths at present but ignoring the impact of lockdown on other illnesses. And if there's no magic vaccine in the next 12 months, will the steps taken so far just have altered when in 2020 the vulnerable die?

            3. MachDiamond Silver badge

              Re: Misleading

              In the case of Corona viruses, the default position should be there IS H2H transmission and airborne transmission as well until shown otherwise. One of the unique things about HIV is that it's so hard to catch that it takes intimate contact in most cases to pass along.

              The biggest downfall of the US and possible world response is the lack of an all out effort to do as much testing of as many people as possible in the shortest period of time. The US hasn't tested 2% of the population to date. The numbers reported are based on the number of tests given and not the number of people. Many hospital and emergency workers are tested regularly skewing the assumptions. If the data was there to show that the vast majority of people are immune, asymptomatic or only had a very mild reaction, proper emphasis could be put on figuring out why other people get so very ill. No data, no facts. This isn't the sort of thing where testing a couple of thousand people in one area will yield any results that can be applied to the wider population.

          2. Roo
            Windows

            The WHO are a coordinating entity (at best), they don't have a bunch of jackboots on the ground to bust asses - or the ability to apply sanctions at the drop of a hat. All they can do is to The buck stops with the power brokers. It's hardly a surprise those power brokers that dropped the ball are blaming the WHO, they haven't got anyone else to blame having shit-canned the advice and experts who advised them to prepare for pandemics before Covid blew up in the first place.

            1. Cereberus

              No win possible?

              As Roo states the WHO are a coordinating entity and based their comments on available confirmed information. Can they really be blamed for not saying it is China human to human transmission at fault because Taiwan said so.

              Arguably China could have been assumed to be lying but the WHO explicitly stated that China had advised there was no evidence, they didn't say definitively that there was no evidence.

              The same with the Pandemic status which iirc basically went through a process of x number of reported infections, something to be concerned about, now we would class it as an epidemic but not enough confirmed victims over a large enough area to be a pandemic, those criteria have been met and it is now officially a pandemic. They not only set their criteria for each stage but explained why a stage hadn't been reached at a given point in time.

              The there is the whole 'Shouting Wolf' syndrome. If they had gone earlier with the pandemic status more live almost certainly would have been saved and number of infections would have been reduced. They would then have been accused of over reacting then in the future when they call a pandemic they would be ignored, except as a result the wolf and all his / her friends turn up and have a jolly good time ripping everyone's throats out because everyone thought it was just another false alarm and not as serious as was being made out.

              America is a perfect example of this. The number of cases and deaths are lower than expected due to lock downs but a number of Republicans are saying the small number of cases show the lock downs were an over reaction rather than an effective method of dealing with the virus spread. Next time a lock down is called how many people will take it seriously?

            2. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              "The WHO are a coordinating entity (at best), they don't have a bunch of jackboots on the ground to bust asses"

              I would disagree with this statement - the World Health Organisation don't just have a co-ordinating role, they have roles in monitoring health situations (through member states providing information and requesting assistance), providing guidance and in the case of pandemics, providing co-ordination, high-level assistance and neutral observation/monitoring. i.e. ensuring countries act as good global citizens and don't just ignore issues or pretend everything is ok.

              Whiel you are correct - they don't provide jackboots to force countries to do things, they do provide boots on the ground to ensure local health officals voices are heard, oversee the response and ensure information being reported reflects the reality.

              The Chinese government didn't think WHO was important enough to respond to during SARS and they haven't significantly altered their stance with COVID-19.

              And yet the Chinese government have had enough influence within WHO to choose the Director General, decide which countries can be ignored and whether WHO needs to be notified quickly.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Facepalm

      Re: How much will it help?

      Unfortunately true.

      Like real life fruitcakes, cyberspace fruitcakes cannot be destroyed and you can't even regift them.

      1. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: How much will it help?

        " You should keep an open mind, but not so open that your brains fall out"

        - Bertrand Russell. The man who knew that 1+1=2, but still thought it worth the effort and several hundred pages to prove it.

        1. Grinning Bandicoot

          Re: How much will it help?

          I would think in this forum that it would be 1 + 1 = 10

  3. Dr_N

    They are the virus

    These anti-vaxx, anti-5G, pseudo-science babbling loons are multiplying like a viral pandemic.

    There a thousands of them.

    With the acceptance of "alternative facts" it is proving easy to peddle all sorts of utter cobblers and then claim free speech and "belief" to defend the indefensible.

    Calling them loons and fruitloops isn't working.

    Pointing out their utter lies isn't working.

    Suggestions ...?

    1. Aristotles slow and dimwitted horse

      Re: Suggestions ...?

      Ignore them? Don't feed the trolls? Empty cans rattle the most?

      I'd assume it's because most of these people have got nothing better to say, and will most likely say anything to make themselves feel a bit better about having nothing to say. Or maybe they are just thick or a bit pretentiously contrary for effect.

      I'm always reminded of the Rise of the Idiots by Dan Ashcroft.

      #Trashbat.co.ck

      1. chuBb.

        Re: Suggestions ...?

        Im not a preacher man!!!!!

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Follow the money

        Group protests always have their seeds, if you look at these groups, the seeds are in masks. They're broke, unemployed people, paid to seed the protest, they not idiots, they wear masks while holding signs declaring Covid is fake. The mask shows the fake nature of their protest. Money has been paid, those have been organized, they didn't just spontaneously happen.

        When you see the gunmen at the state house, someone rang ahead, got permission to take the guns, minus ammo, into the State Building and pose for the cameras in front of the doors. That's organized, it didn't just happen. You're supposed to be intimidated by this Trump militia. You're supposed to think they broke in and overpowered the guards.

        It's incredibly predictable what the sponsor group is doing.

        Supreme Court attacks Mail-in ballots. (Happened once and will happen repeatedly in the coming months).

        Republican states undermine quarantine, spread Covid19 (this story and many others).

        Trump is trying to put a nutjob Senator as the head of the NSA, he needs a Bill Barr figure to use that agency against opponents. He's already threatened to suspend Congress to put in his choices.

        November election comes, Florida, Virginia, Ohio all riddled with Corona Virus, Republican State Governors declare they cannot hold elections 'for safety'. Laws can say what they like, elections won't be organized and won't happen in those states, and these gun toting protestors will be there to shut down any attempt at election in those states.

        Other states hold elections.

        Supreme court steps in, voids the result due to the missing Republican states. A pure partisan decision without legal merit.

        Trump ramps up the crazy, "they're plotting a coup" he claims, meaning that he's plotting a coup.

        January 20th 2021, the law says Trump stops being President, and the power is handed to Congress (Pelosi), but he refuses to stand down.

        You see how Dems force picked Biden, really picking Obama, Biden is just a proxy for Obama. That's because he's an Vice-President, and Obama will be there as a former President. They know the levers of government.

        Come January 20th, they will need to have all the old Obama team ready for Pelosi, that team will have to take power from Trump. Pelosi cannot go to the Supreme Court and require the Constitution be enforced, because of illegitimate partisans like Kavanaugh, the law is clear, they cannot let Kavanaugh muddy it. To go to the Supreme Court just lets shit-Kavanaugh delay handover. She cannot impeach, because to impeach is to pretend he is President but he won't be then. Once you fail to take power on 20th January, you've lost. Trump will not comply with the law suddenly, and not on January 20th.

        So they'll have the full set of former political appointees ready to directly contact the Civil Servants bypassing Trump's cronies, to take over government by taking the levers of power.

        The window to take power back is 1 day.

        Trump (via Bill Barr) will likely try to preempt this with mock cases in the Supreme Court. But it comes down to the military and police. If they follow the Constitution, not random Kavanaugh shit, then democracy continues. If they follow the political shit show that passes for the Supreme Court, then Trump 'delays' handing over power and at no point will there ever be a time you can restore it. Democracy is lost.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Follow the money

          Looks like they have turned up the power on your smart meter and addled your brains.

        2. MachDiamond Silver badge

          Re: Follow the money

          "they wear masks while holding signs declaring Covid is fake. "

          Ever notice the well designed and professionally produced signs at some of these "spontaneous" events? It's as if a print shop got an order the week before after some graphic artist finished several designs for the event.

          it has me wondering if the vast majority of print shop owners are subversives that only have the business to make enough money to fund the cost of protest signs. Not.

    2. chuBb.

      Re: They are the virus

      Put them in to self isolation, and offer them kebabs and ready meals to live on for 4 weeks, and measure there health, then repeat with an organic fruit and veg diet with a 5g transmitter at each corner of cell operating at 50x the signal gain than standard for a month, if they have responsibility of a minor, then vaccinate there spawn as well just to be sure while they are guests of her maj, then publish results showing 5 a day and 5g made them 20% healthier and that darling tarquin is just as naughty a hyperactive brat as he was before vaccination, along with there names, You out them so they become pariahs of there loongroups by being obvious false flag operatives, rinse and repeat, until everyone is educated.

      Or just bring back stocks and throw fruit at them

      1. MachDiamond Silver badge

        Re: They are the virus

        "Or just bring back stocks and throw fruit at them"

        You are such a tease. I never manage to eat all of the oranges in the bag before they go off so I often have ready ammunition.

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: They are the virus

      Suggest that those partaking in such demonstrations may continue if they sign a waiver, waiving off their right to NHS COVID treatment since they disobeyed lockdown rules, and reinforcing that since they believe the NHS is part of a conspiracy, they should not be expecting treatment there. Here, have a bunch of sugar pills that have touched water that has vaguely remembered 10k dilutions of St Johns Wort better than all the Londoners sewerage.

      Oh and would they please hand over their radiation causing mobile devices? Yes, you can live without phones and modern medicine. You are all standing together anyway.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: They are the virus

        Couldn't have said it better myself! Too bad I'm restricted to one single up-vote.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: They are the virus

        That actually sounds somewhat fair.

        I am certainly behind someones right to refuse treatment. In a similar way, we have to right to accept or refuse an organ transplant, being vegan/carnivorous and many many other decisions in life.

        So I really don't like people being forced to do things, but do also accept they must accept the results of their decisions.

        But these people are not looking to defend their rights while protecting others, they seem to just want to protest, not discuss or work together.

        1. phuzz Silver badge

          Re: They are the virus

          The problem is with anti-vaxers in particular, that their refusal to vaccinate puts other people (often their own children) at risk.

          These people are undoubtedly going to end up spreading CV19 to other people that they've interacted with, who had nothing to do with their protests.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: They are the virus

            Would still be nice if they had some other option.

            They are often wrong, mostly wrong (as there is at least one time when you can correctly say no, when you know the supply chain is poisoned/damaged/dangerous, but that is extremely rare, or when you have other moral reasons not to), but they have a right to be wrong in decisions.

            As it's not something like them deciding to set fire to a forest, or a city. It's a decision based on there own bodies and independence, so it seems at least worth defending in principle.

            When I worked in care, we had to work very hard with someone's decision, even if "wrong" by our standards, up until it was impossible to fulfil (morally wrong and/or physically impossible etc).

    4. Steve K

      Re: They are the virus

      Suggestions ...?

      6G?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: They are the virus

        No, call it -1.5G and as the name is lower, it must be safer!

        1. Sanctimonious Prick
          Facepalm

          Re: They are the virus

          Hehe... electronics manufacturers of CD players did something similar (for completely different reasons (8-bit to 16(+)-bit to 1-bit d/a converters)) - and it worked :D

          So you never know...

    5. Pen-y-gors

      Re: They are the virus

      Every time they have a get-together, send along a few people with confirmed COVID to give them all a hug and a sloppy kiss.

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Re: They are the virus

        Flock immunity ?

        1. MachDiamond Silver badge

          Re: They are the virus

          "Flock immunity ?"

          Birds of a feather.... ?

    6. itzman

      Re: They are the virus

      Tell them about 'manmade climate change'

      1. Dr_N

        Re: They are the virus

        But my original point is that conspiracy and pseudoscience is on the rise and just ignoring it is no enough.

        60,000 people in the anti-5G Facebook group.

        1. Col_Panek

          Re: They are the virus

          Some of us are microwave engineers, driving past a car wreck.

    7. BazNav

      Re: They are the virus

      The real problem is how do you separate out the next Copernicus or Darwin from all the David Ickes?

      If anyone comes up with a solution that allows people to move on the collective understanding of humanity against the entrenched ideas of the current establishment whilst simultaneously quashing all of the dangerous "alternative facts" which are being used to undermine the collective wisdom of the current establishment then I'll give them an up-vote.

      1. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: They are the virus

        > The real problem is how do you separate out the next Copernicus or Darwin from all the David Ickes?

        Fairly easily. It's largely a solved problem, though not perfect - there will always be scientific theories that are later shown to be correct that take longer (because scientists are imperfect human beings) to gain acceptance than they should. The link between some viruses and cancers, is an example.

        However, scientists will actively look for class in their own theories; crackpots will not. You can use the following as a rough guide:

        http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/crackpot.html

        1. BazNav

          Re: They are the virus

          Despite all the down-votes i got for the original post, I agree with Dave 126 - it should be fairly easy. But no one in the world has yet come up with an effective way of legislating for it especially when it is something that you then want to happen in real time.

          Countries seem to have fallen into two camps; either allow wide free speech and accept there will be idiotic rubbish mixed in there that you then have to go back and remove, or tell the people exactly what they can say thus getting rid of all the crackpot theories but also a lot of personal freedom. As soon as you pass a law to limit people posting crackpot ideas you have to put someone in charge of policing it and that will ultimately be a political appointment, and I for one don't really want Donald Trump choosing the people who choose the people who get to decide what can be posted on line. I'd prefer to just carry on ignoring anything that David Icke says.

          1. Stork Silver badge

            Re: They are the virus

            The point is that the various social media have managed to avoid the responsibilities of being publishers. They have their rules of conduct and if you car found to breach them they have the right to boot you off.

            They are just inconsistent, nipples are more dangerous than nazis, and certain tweeters (twats?) are spewing forth streams that would have had others banned for hate speech or bullying.

          2. MachDiamond Silver badge

            Re: They are the virus

            "Countries seem to have fallen into two camps; either allow wide free speech and accept there will be idiotic rubbish mixed in there that you then have to go back and remove, or tell the people exactly what they can say thus getting rid of all the crackpot theories but also a lot of personal freedom."

            There is a limit. The old "you can't cry "FIRE" in a crowded cinema" is the go to example, People in many places are allowed free speech, but if it crosses a line into misinformation that could hurt or kill people, there's a difference. The same could be said for writing or saying something that causes people to burn their home down. Somebody coming up to another person on the street and shouting offensive epithets at them is not protected speech. Freedom of Speech is a concept to prevent government from suppressing dissenting talk and is mostly centered on opinion and subjects that can be approach in many different ways with each one being valid though maybe flawed. I find the claim of FoS against FB and YT to be nonsensical. In the US, the right to FoS includes the phrase "the government shall pass no law that abridges"... The Government can't silence you but a company has no such restriction.

            The damage that patently false information can do is endless. I have no problem with the suppression of idiot manifestos that encourage people to burn down cell phone towers or tell others that vaccines are a government conspiracy and the "truth" about how poisonous they are is never talked about. Half of my family is or has been in the medical/dental fields. I got my certificate as an EMT and have followed studies on pandemics, virology and public health as I find them very interesting subjects. If I though it would do any good, I'd create a reading list for anti-vaxxers to work through, but I fear they would only label me as part of the conspiracy and put whatever I suggest on the book pyre.

      2. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: They are the virus

        The Crackpot Index

        John Baez

        A simple method for rating potentially revolutionary contributions to physics:

        A -5 point starting credit.

        1 point for every statement that is widely agreed on to be false.

        2 points for every statement that is clearly vacuous.

        3 points for every statement that is logically inconsistent.

        5 points for each such statement that is adhered to despite careful correction.

        5 points for using a thought experiment that contradicts the results of a widely accepted real experiment.

        5 points for each word in all capital letters (except for those with defective keyboards).

        5 points for each mention of "Einstien", "Hawkins" or "Feynmann".

        10 points for each claim that quantum mechanics is fundamentally misguided (without good evidence).

        10 points for pointing out that you have gone to school, as if this were evidence of sanity.

        10 points for beginning the description of your theory by saying how long you have been working on it. (10 more for emphasizing that you worked on your own.)

        10 points for mailing your theory to someone you don't know personally and asking them not to tell anyone else about it, for fear that your ideas will be stolen.

        10 points for offering prize money to anyone who proves and/or finds any flaws in your theory.

        10 points for each new term you invent and use without properly defining it.

        10 points for each statement along the lines of "I'm not good at math, but my theory is conceptually right, so all I need is for someone to express it in terms of equations".

        10 points for arguing that a current well-established theory is "only a theory", as if this were somehow a point against it.

        10 points for arguing that while a current well-established theory predicts phenomena correctly, it doesn't explain "why" they occur, or fails to provide a "mechanism".

        10 points for each favorable comparison of yourself to Einstein, or claim that special or general relativity are fundamentally misguided (without good evidence).

        10 points for claiming that your work is on the cutting edge of a "paradigm shift".

        20 points for emailing me and complaining about the crackpot index. (E.g., saying that it "suppresses original thinkers" or saying that I misspelled "Einstein" in item 8.)

        20 points for suggesting that you deserve a Nobel prize.

        20 points for each favorable comparison of yourself to Newton or claim that classical mechanics is fundamentally misguided (without good evidence).

        20 points for every use of science fiction works or myths as if they were fact.

        20 points for defending yourself by bringing up (real or imagined) ridicule accorded to your past theories.

        20 points for naming something after yourself. (E.g., talking about the "The Evans Field Equation" when your name happens to be Evans.)

        20 points for talking about how great your theory is, but never actually explaining it.

        20 points for each use of the phrase "hidebound reactionary".

        20 points for each use of the phrase "self-appointed defender of the orthodoxy".

        30 points for suggesting that a famous figure secretly disbelieved in a theory which he or she publicly supported. (E.g., that Feynman was a closet opponent of special relativity, as deduced by reading between the lines in his freshman physics textbooks.)

        30 points for suggesting that Einstein, in his later years, was groping his way towards the ideas you now advocate.

        30 points for claiming that your theories were developed by an extraterrestrial civilization (without good evidence).

        30 points for allusions to a delay in your work while you spent time in an asylum, or references to the psychiatrist who tried to talk you out of your theory.

        40 points for comparing those who argue against your ideas to Nazis, stormtroopers, or brownshirts.

        40 points for claiming that the "scientific establishment" is engaged in a "conspiracy" to prevent your work from gaining its well-deserved fame, or suchlike.

        40 points for comparing yourself to Galileo, suggesting that a modern-day Inquisition is hard at work on your case, and so on.

        40 points for claiming that when your theory is finally appreciated, present-day science will be seen for the sham it truly is. (30 more points for fantasizing about show trials in which scientists who mocked your theories will be forced to recant.)

        50 points for claiming you have a revolutionary theory but giving no concrete testable predictions.

        © 1998 John Baez

      3. MachDiamond Silver badge

        Re: They are the virus

        Darwin put off publishing "On the Origin of Species" for so long partly due to his insecurity about his data since it went directly against current thinking. He may have never published if whatshisname wasn't about to scoop him on the hypothesis that we now take as theory. It's that painstaking work and data collection that makes the difference. A proper scientist may still come up with wrong conclusions, but it will be a far cry from just making something up.

    8. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: They are the virus

      Ahh.. I remember the old days when 3G masts were giving people the cancer. And before that Wifi was frying peoples' brain cells and before that pylons made you sick. We fixed all that now...

      It's a little known "fact" Bluetooth is bad for your gums. It's in the name people!

    9. hoola Silver badge

      Re: They are the virus

      It is called Social Media, everything that is on the likes of Facebook must be true because it is on Facebook and had a gazilliion likes.

      That fact that the author is deluded and the content blatantly wrong is an irrelevance, it has likes!

    10. MachDiamond Silver badge

      Re: They are the virus

      "Calling them loons and fruitloops isn't working.

      Pointing out their utter lies isn't working.

      Suggestions ...?"

      With bees you puff some smoke over them to calm them down.

      The US is rapidly decriminalizing pot. Stoned people don't do much thinking or type long diatribes on Social Media. At least nothing coherent.

    11. Grinning Bandicoot

      Re: They are the virus

      Give them what they want and remove the 5G towers but the problem exploded with 2G where sudden growths appeared attached to ears along with obstacle avoidance skills failing. Consequently cite the complaints and warning that were blathered about and remove service from them.

      More likely there is a long and obscure trail to Detachment 731 and MacArthur's cover up as answer to why Manchuria appears so often as a focal point.

  4. Aristotles slow and dimwitted horse

    Icky Icke...

    Leave Icke alone. He's a very funny man. I spent a weekend near the Forest of Bowland at one of his PAN meetings back in the 90's and it was hilarious. I might add though that even he is not quite as amusing as the Scientologisty idiots that used to canvas for Dianetics volunteers in Chichester High Street also in the 90's. They were really fun to taunt.

    Looking back... I think my entire 90's were spent totally smashed on grass whilst taunting philosophical nutcases edge cases.

    1. Dave 126 Silver badge

      Re: Icky Icke...

      Ahh, to be twenty again, stoned and reading Robert Anton Wilson :)

      Still, a glass of red with Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum is pleasant.

  5. Richard Boyce

    Income

    It's easy to laugh at Icke but the poor guy has a serious mental health problem.

    What disturbs me the most is that someone making videos with crazy ideas can make a good living using YouTube etc. It encourages sane but ruthless people to spread disinformation to the gullible while laughing all the way to the bank. The damage done is just an externality.

    1. Inventor of the Marmite Laser Silver badge

      Re: Income

      As one illustrious commentard on these hallowed pages recently opined, such drivel is:

      clickbait bullshit designed to get eyeballs for their advertisers, and axe grinding opinion pieces with statistics so abused that if the stats were kids the police would raid the premises immediately

      Which rather neatly sums it up.

      1. Arthur the cat Silver badge
        Angel

        Re: Income

        Woo! I'm illustrious!

        1. Totally not a Cylon
          Paris Hilton

          Re: Income

          Of course you are....

          You're a Cat, it says so right in your username.....

          why don't we have a Cat icon? There's Paris but not the right kind of pussy.......

    2. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: Income

      >It's easy to laugh at Icke but the poor guy has a serious mental health problem.

      Is he mad or very very smart?

      A lot of people have done very well telling their followers that the sky beard wants them to have a better private jet

      1. Arthur the cat Silver badge

        Re: Income

        A lot of people have done very well telling their followers that the sky beard wants them to have a better private jet

        An appeal to naked greed works well (on some people), but I'm not so sure what the appeal is of claiming the 5-foot something Queen is actually a 7 foot lizard.

        1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

          Re: Income

          He fills the O2 with paying punters - I don't

          1. Dr_N

            Re: Income

            Exactly.

        2. Mike 16

          Re: 5 vs 7 feet

          It's just that Her tail hasn't grown fully back yet.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Income

        "A lot of people have done very well telling their followers that the sky beard wants them to have a better private jet"

        You mean the preachers selling the healing power* of the savior for US$1200? Which just happens to be the same size as US government stimulus cheques?

        Praise be! It's a miracle that Trump could predict how much money God needed!

        Careful, I seem to have knocked over a large container of sarcasm....mind you don't step in it.

        * Note: healing power may or may not work on viruses. We recommend following government advice and continuing to send more of your money to us. Without your money, Gods work** can not be done.

        ** Note: God's work may or may not include spending enormous amounts of money building temples to said preachers and ensuring that they live in heaven while they are on earth.

        1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

          Re: Income

          >Praise be! It's a miracle that Trump could predict how much money God needed!

          Of course God is going to want US$ - what did you expect him to take Shekels ?

          1. Huw D

            Re: Income

            Half a denari, for his life story.

            1. Stoneshop

              Re: Income

              You're supposed to haggle.

  6. Len
    Windows

    Haircuts

    Hang on, I'm on the proper side of the Atlantic and I'm upset over not being able to get a haircut too!

    Not only have I developed 'mask envy' about people out and about with better looking masks than me, I am also becoming jealous at those who, completely coincidentally, had a haircut just before the lockdown. The only upside is that facial recognition tech no longer works on me.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Haircuts

      I had a haircut just before the lockdown, as I could see it was going to happen in the very near future. But after six weeks, even I'm starting to look like I should wear a hat whenever I venture outdoors!

      1. AmenFromMars

        Re: Haircuts

        My wife cut my hair yesterday, I don't venture outdoors...

        1. Youngone Silver badge

          Re: Haircuts

          I look like I play bass in a 1970's hard rock band.

          I think I like it.

          1. Paul Crawford Silver badge

            Re: Haircuts

            I now look like a punk drummer after a self-inflicted trim with a small sheep-shearer style implement..

            Shame I can't actually drum!

        2. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Haircuts

          You, my friend, are a brave man!

        3. RM Myers
          Unhappy

          Re: Haircuts

          I did my own today. I wear a baseball cap outside.

    2. Irongut

      Re: Haircuts

      I don't remember the last time I had a haircut. It was I think roughly 15 years ago and no I'm not bald or even balding. Hair cuts are completely unnecessary.

    3. Mike 16

      Re: Haircuts

      You think you haven't gotten a haircut? Check your retirement account.

    4. AndrueC Silver badge
      Happy

      Re: Haircuts

      I cut my own hair and have done for years. Does that make you hate me?

    5. Dave 126 Silver badge

      Re: Haircuts

      > The only upside is that facial recognition tech no longer works on me.

      That won't last long. Just as Chinese state facial recognition systems are being tweaked to recognise protesters wearing face masks, Apple engineers are tweaking the iPhone's face unlock to accommodate masks.

    6. Grinning Bandicoot

      Re: Haircuts

      Now is the time to shave the head if you like it no problem. If you don't it is time for an outrageous tale and see how long it takes to become a truth. However, the sense of whimsy is long dead and moldering. Example: In the 60s in USia an electronics magazine, Radio Electronics, would run an article the looked great read great but was based upon some technological improbability or out and out violation of thermodynamics. It successor many years tried it once and editors made a explanation while dinning on crow that they had believed that a lossless device emitting more power out than applied should have been seen for what it was. Complaints continued by the TRUE BELIEVERS. I believe it is truly for preventative dosing of Zinfandel.

  7. anthonyhegedus Silver badge

    Some of these views are downright vile. Icke has touched on anti-semistism. These virus-denying loons have started making comparisons between nazi laws about jews with lock-down laws during an epidemic.

    This needs to be shut down but organisations like facebook and google are slow to do so, because they make money out of the ads.

    1. MachDiamond Silver badge

      "slow to do so, because they make money out of the ads."

      They make S-tons more money selling PII than ads. I also wonder if The Man will pay them more for linking up the loon network participants.

      If a company wants to pay the price for the most in-depth info on somebody, they might want to know if the person they are considering hiring or promoting holds "non-mainstream" views that might reflect bad on the company down the road.

  8. Peter Prof Fox

    But Duck Turd is an exception.

    Lunatic tweets about suggestions for of cures so bad that drinking Dettol is one of the lesser harmful ones is fine for Trump. Why hasn't anybody from the torpid and craven media asked Trump to go ahead and give a demonstration?

    (Dreading 'pass the sick bag Friday' when pompous idiots will try to highlight their Churchillian qualities only to be howlingly patronising.)

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Nothing like having an open mind.

    1. harmjschoonhoven

      Re: Nothing like having an open mind.

      Einstein: It is important to have an open mind, but not so open that your brains fall out.

      1. Stoneshop

        Re: Nothing like having an open mind.

        but not so open that your brains fall out.

        In some cases the world would be better for it.

      2. Dave 126 Silver badge

        Re: Nothing like having an open mind.

        @harmjschoonhoven

        I had attributed that quote to Bertand Russel, not Einstein - it turns out that we are both wrong! :)

        https://quoteinvestigator.com/2014/04/13/open-mind/

  10. Muscleguy

    Fruitcakes Anonymous

    Early last year I was employed to take groups of long term unemployed persons and engage them as a discussion group of modern methods of job applications in the online only age and also give them Wellbeing advice. In the first group was this guy who was just a sponge for all things conspiracy allied to a weird mishmash of religious crapshit. He was a real pain as well and would not shut up about stuff despite NOBODY else being the slightest bit interested.

    But here’s the killer, he lives just along the road from me and I have to encounter him fairly regularly. Me, a PhD Scientist and therefore obviously a signed up member of the Illuminati (they never invite me to the their shindigs mind and I’ve forgotten the password for the lair). I’m afraid the demise of Ick’s sites come Far, far too late for this guy, he is frootloop Central.

    His first comment to me on discovering I’d been a scientist was ‘so science has confirmed that god exists, hasn’t it?’ he looked really crestfallen when I gave him a most firm NO. We were not going to get on after that.

    1. Lotaresco

      Re: Fruitcakes Anonymous

      "Me, a PhD Scientist and therefore obviously a signed up member of the Illuminati"

      I'm one of the evil sworn enemies of the cargo-cult pseudo scientists (thanks to Feynman for that one) because my experience is as a geneticist who worked for a pharmaceutical company then go bored with it and went into IT where I work for both Big Pharma and Big Government. Hence I am a shill dispensing misinformation[1], apparently.

      Anyway as someone who is regularly accused of being a member of the Illuminati, partly because I live in Italy near LNGS and "s'obvious stansareason, dunnit?" that I must be one of the Illuminati, have you tried our wine? It's rather good.

      [1] Misinformation like no, 5G phones cannot give you coronavirus and no, you can't disrupt the DNA of coronavirus because it hasn't got any and also no, SARS-CoV-2 is not a genetically engineered organism.

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    One advantage of having these groups shout their ideas loudly and persistently is it taints by association all suggestions that things may not be quite what they seem - such as that shiny new app from those nice NHS Digital people. Sort of nudges people to put them all in the same pigeon hole.

  12. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

    5G fruitloops

    I've not seen it myself, so this may be a a conspiracy theory in its own right, but my tells me there are reports that Jeremy Corbyns brother is a proponent of the COVID-19/5G rubbish too. If true, can you image where we'd be now if Corbyn had become PM?

    Oh, she just told me she read it on the DM website.

    1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

      Re: 5G fruitloops

      Not sure that follows - Boris's sister seems normal but that doesn't help

    2. DaveDaveDave

      Re: 5G fruitloops

      Both Corbyns are fruitloops selling conspiracy theories to other fruitloops. Piers is a weather geek who claims to have a psychic method for predicting the weather, and says climate change is nonsense, while Jez believes in, and spreads, the Socialism of Fools and its attached Nazi conspiracy theories.

  13. kirk_augustin@yahoo.com

    The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

    High-band 5G uses frequencies of 25 - 39 GHz, near the bottom of the millimeter wave band. That is clearly in the same range as your microwave oven. Would you stick your head into a microwave oven and turn it on? Well that is what you are doing when you use 5G in a cellphone.

    There are lots of people claiming that is no problem because the wattage is too low for there to be enough heat to damage the brain, but they are not physicists. Physicists understand Quantum Mechanics, which says that EMF travels as a photonic particle wave. Which means it is not spread out as gross wattage, but tightly bundled in to little quantas. And each quanta is so concentrated that is DOES have enough energy to cause an ionizing shear of a molecule it hit. So it could cause cancer, blood clots, or all sorts of problems.

    The reason many do not understand this is that microwaves are below the visible spectrum, and most people consider only the higher frequencies above the visible spectrum as being dangerous, ionizing radiation. And the reason they are wrong is that humans are built for the visible spectrum, so our skin is designed to block it out. We can get damage from visible spectrum light, but it would only be on the surface, so then not particularly dangerous. But 5G is low enough frequency to pass right through the protective skin layer, and can cause much more damage internally then.

    1. Paul Crawford Silver badge

      Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

      Yesterday I stood outside and was subjected to the best part of 1kW/m^2 of radiation! And at much higher frequencies!

      Will I mutate?

      1. Lotaresco

        Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

        "Yesterday I stood outside and was subjected to the best part of 1kW/m^2 of radiation!"

        What about the 2WH/m^2 of neutrino flux? We need to be warned of these assaults on our precious bodily fluids.

        1. Paul Crawford Silver badge

          Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

          I have been preserving my essence. Keeping my precious bodily fluids pure by only drinking vodka!

          We can't allow a vodka-drinking gap to develop sir!

          1. MachDiamond Silver badge

            Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

            "Keeping my precious bodily fluids pure by only drinking vodka!"

            Wrong liquid. I've been trying to get in my 3 pints of Guinness per day to ward off viruses and so far, no CV19 here. Must be working. Stands to reason.

      2. Stoneshop
        Trollface

        Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

        Will I mutate?

        Probably.

        If you're a Genuine Brit your skin will now turn red and in a few days fall off.

        Please report on your new shape afterwards. If you still can.

      3. MachDiamond Silver badge

        Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

        How the heck did you get to the top of the atmosphere?

        Insolation at ground level is closer to 800W/sqm. It also depends on where you are and the time of the year and the weather and...... 1kW/sqm is just a handy metric to measure solar panels.

      4. Grinning Bandicoot

        Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

        Has the derma changed its tint or sensitivity

    2. Argus Tuft

      Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

      Unless it's different over there, microwave ovens down south run in the 2.4G unlicenced band - ie the same as the WiFi in the laptop you're probably typing on.... and not many 5G handsets emit 1000W ;)

      1. MachDiamond Silver badge

        Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

        "not many 5G handsets emit 1000W"

        I think the number of 5G handsets with a 1kW transmitter is very close to exactly zero. The battery pack would need a trolly to move it around to get any sort of talk time. The upside is you could route your calls through orbiters around Mars if you're clever.

    3. Neil Barnes Silver badge
      Black Helicopters

      Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

      High-band 5G uses frequencies of 25 - 39 GHz, near the bottom of the millimeter wave band. That is clearly in the same range as your microwave oven.

      Someone needs to point out: microwave ovens work at 2.45GHz.

    4. TireIron

      Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

      Where is Myth Busters when you need them?

      Seriously looking forward to reply's to this post :-) Seeing the down votes but no arguments to the contrary?

      1. ICL1900-G3

        Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

        Downvoted for 'reply's'

      2. MachDiamond Silver badge

        Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

        "Where is Myth Busters when you need them?"

        Adam is on YouTube as "Tested". Very good content though not a lot of myth busting.

    5. Lotaresco

      Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

      "High-band 5G uses frequencies of 25 - 39 GHz, near the bottom of the millimeter wave band."

      That's a cut and paste from Wikipedia, word for word. It's not in the same range as a microwave oven and your clearly don't have a clue what you are talking about.

      " but they are not physicists"

      Neither are you Kirk.

      "And each quanta is so concentrated that is DOES have enough energy to cause an ionizing shear of a molecule it hit. So it could cause cancer, blood clots, or all sorts of problems."

      And sadly that is both untrue and pseudo-scientific gobbledy-gook. If it were true your microwave dinner would be ionised, wouldn't it?

      1. MJI Silver badge

        Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

        The problem is that it does read as possible, this is how they snare their victims.

        But as you show a little bit of knowleage debunks it.

      2. MachDiamond Silver badge

        Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

        "If it were true your microwave dinner would be ionised, wouldn't it?"

        As somebody that likes to cook, I see only an improvement if this were the case.

    6. Pat Att

      Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

      The ignorance in this post is stunning.

    7. Big_Boomer Silver badge

      Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

      Kirk, why don't you go and read up on NON-IONIZING radiation vs IONIZING radiation? The entire Microwave band from 1Ghz to 1000Ghz is all NON-IONIZING, ie. it does not cause any cellular damage based on quanta effects. Why? Because each photon is such low energy that it can't cause any damage. Such damage does not start until you are into the UltraViolet range and beyond when photon energies exceed 1eV.

      The primary effect NON-IONIZING has on nearby objects is heating them up, and to do that requires lots of POWER. The reason why Microwave ovens work at 2.45Ghz is that nobody uses that frequency for communications. The heating effect comes from the radio waves causing the water molecules in the food to vibrate like a tuning fork, which is the same effect you get from direct heating. Even then it requires hundreds of Watts at very close range to significantly heat something up.

      So, to sum up, your research is wrong, your theories are wrong, quite simply put, you are wrong. Now please go do some real research. stay away from the conspiracy theory websites and see if you can actually discover the facts of the matter. Oh, and anyone who tells you something is "The Truth" is full of sh!t and should be avoided at all costs.

    8. Huw D

      Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

      Would the person that upvoted Kirk's post please make themselves known? :D

      1. Simon Reed
        Thumb Up

        Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

        You can upvote your own posts.

    9. Stork Silver badge

      Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

      I upvote you for the entertainment! Great parody. It was parody, wasn't it?

    10. AlbertH
      Mushroom

      Re: The higher the frequency, the greater the energy

      The utter, wilful misunderstanding of basic physics in that post is staggering, unless it's meant to be sarcastic.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Ban everything Chinese

    Usually typed, unironically, on an iPhone or similar Chinese made device.

    They're morons, showing them basic, scientific principles which anyone with a pencil and paper can use to disprove their crackpot theories just provokes, again demonstrating a complete lack of self awareness, that "you can prove anything with science" while they quote some discredited lunatic who thinks the word persistent as applied to cookies means your device has been rooted and is now a government mind control weapon.

    1. itzman

      Re: Ban everything Chinese

      "some discredited lunatic who thinks the word persistent as applied to cookies means your device has been rooted and is now a government mind control weapon."

      Well, in a way it has been, and it is.

    2. MachDiamond Silver badge

      Re: Ban everything Chinese

      "showing them basic, scientific principles which anyone with a pencil and paper can use to disprove their crackpot theories just provokes"

      You are assuming that the person has the ability to follow logical reasoning and already knows many of the underlying concepts your are going to use to build your proof.

      There is also the problem of convincing somebody that countries aren't working on weaponizing viruses as there is no control, no way to estimate the effect and no way to aim it. Something as naughty as nuclear weapons and nerve gas can be directed and the effects quantified. Somebody getting on a plane after being dosed with either isn't going to convey them back to you.

      With CV19, most all of the theorized concepts about source, spread and mortality/morbidity dovetails very nicely with what's being seen. Many scientists/doctors have been concerned about "bush meat" markets in large cities along with the lack of sanitation in such places. The spread followed major transportation lines nearly to perfection and the M/M fits within expectation towards the right hand side of the graph. I think we will see more data analysis models that account for herd stupidity along with mutation rates at varying levels of infection penetration per number and density that public health researchers can use to identify and grade outbreaks. It will leave governments still holding the bag to decide whether the cure or the disease is more detrimental to society. That last part scares me the most.

  15. Spanners Silver badge
    Black Helicopters

    Have you heard what they have not asked for?

    I have heard that all the "protesters" in the USA that want everything to open up (to speed viral spread) have not asked for bookshops and libraries to reopen. I am still waiting to have this confirmed but my preconceived image of a redneck with a rifle does not include a library card in his pocket...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Have you heard what they have not asked for?

      I assumed they were protesting because their ability to earn an income was affected, and without financial support they can’t afford to eat or pay bills, their businesses would go bankrupt, homes repossessed etc. Thanks to you I stand corrected: of course spreading the virus is their real goal!

      Keeping us in lockdown for 7+ weeks, triggering a financial crisis more severe than any in recent history makes sense for a virus with an infection to recovery period typically under 3 weeks.

      Yes, books are just what people facing dire financial circumstances really need.

  16. MJI Silver badge

    I just get cruel to them.

    Give them more to worry about.

    Latest I started was that the Star Link satellites are spreading Covid 19 and that a plastic bag over their head cable tied to keep it safe will protect them.

    Kichen foil hat for WiFi.

    I have not yet thought of a protection against 5G.

    Oh I am going to fine them and aid the French Cooking Ware industry.

    For protection against 5G wear a Le Creuset pot on your head.

    1. Lotaresco

      Re: I just get cruel to them.

      "Kichen foil hat for WiFi."

      I have changed the SSID for my WiFi to 5G-COVID19-TEST. I'm hoping to reduce a conspiracy theorist or two to gibbering hysterics.

      1. Roo

        Re: I just get cruel to them.

        Might be wise to keep a fire extinguisher and a cricket bat on hand just in case.

        1. MJI Silver badge

          Re: I just get cruel to them.

          Cricket Bat

          For dealing with British zombies!

    2. DaveDaveDave

      Re: I just get cruel to them.

      I'm pretty sure 5g is harmful, which is why all 5g phones emit a cancellation field. It's only people who don't carry a 5g phone who are at risk...

      If you're going to mess with their heads, tell them they're naive sheeple who haven't understood the full awfulness of the conspiracy.

    3. AlbertH

      Re: I just get cruel to them.

      I've been warning the credulous loons about the "terrible risks" from the Star Link satellites. It's been fun watching them run for cover!

  17. Pat Att

    Come on Twitter, do your stuff.

    I follow him on Twitter, just for the LULZ, but the man is a first order twat. The sooner he's kicked off the better.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    it all seemed rather civil

    well, what you expect? If they'd shown their personal firearms (I'll show you mine if you show me yours), they would have been shot. If they'd turned up with forks, they would have been arrested (take your pick, for carrying a life-threatening utensil for no good reason / loitering with intent / defying government advice on social distancing / covering their faces. Or for swearing at police when told to uncover / cover their faces. Of course they seemed rather civil. It takes great courage to participate in a demonstration, when you can be pulled for just about anything (other than stupidity ;)

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

  19. ridley

    "YouTube has clear policies prohibiting any content that disputes the existence and transmission of COVID-19 as described by the WHO and the NHS."

    Has anyone found this policy?

    I have found a policy that advises that if you want to monetise you content that you should not do x-y and recommends that if you want to monetise it that you should not dispute the existence and transmission of COVID-19 as described by the WHO and the NHS.

    But that isn't a ban, just means you won't make money.

    1. MachDiamond Silver badge

      If you are content producer that has a YouTube channel, you probably got a notice about it. Since you don't pay YouTube to host your 'channel', YT isn't under obligation to not kick you off. I expect there is something in their ToS that does say they'll delete your account or "may" delete your account for any reason they choose. If you make your livelihood via any sort of social media, you have to be darn careful of not getting the boot. There have been many sellers on Amazon that got the choppy chop with garages and warehouses full of imported tat that they were going to suddenly find hard to shift. That's the peril of basing your income on a giant monolithic company that finds it better for them to kick you to the curb rather than stick up for you. They know that them impact on their bottom line is the change stuck to the bottom of the cup holder in your car. It's also a money loser to investigate whether what YOU claim is correct. There will be another book/video out next week with an infomercial star touting a new method for making money on any or all of those platforms that will bring in the person to replace you.

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    5G turned me into a newt

    I got better...

  21. SanityLuton

    I am amazed at the level of ignorance that has been shown by the author of this story. Story being the best description of it. Virtually no research about the subject matter, plenty of sneering and an abundance of misunderstanding about alternative media outlets. All this article has done is reinforce the official narrative about Icke, also way off the mark.

    By the way I am not a supporter or believer in conspiracy theories*, I am not interested in shape shifting lizards or ignorant writers for the Register, but I am interested in the army of people who have alternative views, that use Icke's website as a platform as a way of breaking through to thousands of people with fact based articles or videos. Such people are prevented from appearing on the mainstream media, who include some of the top scientists in the world, and have their views and facts censored because they contradict the current official narrative on a range of controversial subjects that comes via the BBC, Govt and The Register.

    *presumably you are aware that the term "conspiracy theories" was coined by the CIA in the 1960's who were trying to rubbish alternative information about the JFK killing. As it turns out, decades later, according to released files of the FBI the alternative explanation about the killing was more accurate than the official narrative we were all fed by the BBC and other such mainstream media outlets. Once a person is labelled a conspiracy theorist, they are ignored made fun of or get kicked off social media . The 21st Century equivalent of burning books. Scoffing at people being censored is a sign of immaturity!

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